The APPIC Match: Phase II
"Getting Started" Guide for Applicants

As an applicant, discovering that you are not matched in Phase I can be a shock and very discouraging. However, it is important to remember that very well-qualified applicants (as well as top-notch internship programs) find themselves in this situation for a variety of reasons, and there are a number of unfilled positions from Phase I of the Match for which you can apply during Phase II.

The purpose of this "Getting Started" guide is to help unmatched applicants through the initial shock and disappointment by providing a step-by-step guide to navigating Phase II of the Match.

In addition to reviewing this "Getting Started" guide, you should also carefully read the FAQs about Phase II for applicants, as this provides more details about each step of the process.

STEP 1: Preparation

First, remember that you have some time -- a total of six days in Phase II to submit applications to sites. The application deadline for Phase II is Thursday, February 26, 2015, at 11:00am Eastern Time, and Training Directors won't have access to submitted applications until that time. Furthermore, it won't matter when you submit your applications, as long as it is before that deadline. The "frenzy" of application submission that you may have heard about from previous years is hopefully a thing of the past.

Consult with your advisor, other faculty, family and friends to generate options and receive emotional and logistical support. Click here for more information on this step from the FAQ.

STEP 2: Review the List of Available Positions

The List of Participating Programs for Phase II will be posted on the NMS web site at 11:00am Eastern Time on APPIC Phase I Match Day (Friday, February 20, 2015). This List will be updated nightly to reflect any new positions that have been added to Phase II (such as those in which funding became assured after the Phase I Rank Order List deadline, or newly created positions) or removed from Phase II (usually due to loss or redirection of funding).

Take some time to review this list, along with the web sites of the programs listed, in order to identify programs that fit your interests, skills, and training needs. Please remember that applying to sites that are a poor fit for you is a strategy with little chance of success, and it will be to your benefit to focus your energies on sites where you are a good fit.

You should also be sure to check the "late-breaking news" page on the APPIC web site, as this is the place that some Training Directors of programs with unfilled positions will provide you with important information about their participation in Phase II (e.g., selection criteria, changes in position availability, new positions, etc.). The first update of this "late-breaking news" page will be available no later than Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 12 noon Eastern time, and updates will be made as additional information is received from sites. We strongly recommend waiting for this initial posting of news items before submitting any applications. Remember to check the "late-breaking news" page on a daily basis during this application period.

If you have questions about an internship program or its application requirements, you may contact the site directly with your inquiries. However, please do not contact sites prior to the Phase II application deadline (or have others do so on your behalf) with the intention of getting a "head-start" on the process, as that will not be looked upon favorably by Training Directors.

STEP 3: Prepare Your Application

If you previously submitted applications via the AAPI Online service in Phase I, your application remains available for you to use in Phase II using the same login credentials that you used during Phase I. Remember that you cannot make changes to the main parts of the application, but you can submit new cover letters, letters of recommendation, vitas, and essays. You will definitely need to write new cover letters for Phase II (see below), but it is not necessary to update your vita, essays, or letters of recommendation unless you wish to do so, as it is perfectly acceptable to use the ones that you uploaded in Phase I.

Please remember two important aspects of submitting applications in Phase II:

During Phase II, you will be expected to tailor your cover letters to each site to which you are applying, describing how your interests, background, and experiences fit with each site, just as you did during Phase I.

You should NOT submit any supplemental materials (e.g., testing reports, special application forms) to sites during the initial application phase, even if requested to do so by the site's application instructions for Phase I. Sites have been told that applications from students in Phase II will not include supplemental materials, even if requested by the site. Sites may choose to ask selected applicants to provide additional information (e.g., testing reports) at a later time; students who receive such requests should provide the information outside of the AAPI Online service (e.g., via e-mail attachment).

STEP 4: Submit Applications

Applications for Phase II must be submitted via the AAPI Online service. You should plan to complete the submission of all applications by the deadline, which is Thursday, February 26, 2015, at 11:00am Eastern Time. We very strongly recommend not waiting until that Thursday to submit your applications, in case you run into any technical or other difficulties during the submission process. While some sites may choose to continue accepting applications past that deadline, you should not count on that happening for any site, as most will immediately close off the acceptance of applications.

Once your applications have been submitted, try to stay relatively accessible via phone and e-mail over the next couple of weeks.

STEP 5: Interviewing

In Phase II, internship sites will contact you directly to request additional information (e.g., testing reports) or to offer you an interview. Unlike Phase I, sites are not required to notify you if they do not plan to offer you an interview.

Interviews will generally be conducted via telephone, although some sites may offer applicants the option of using Skype. Sites have been asked not to request on-site interviews from applicants who are not in the program's local geographic area.

Step 6: Submitting Your Rank Order List

You should submit your Rank Order List for Phase II of the Match no later than the submission deadline, which is March 16, 2015, at 11:59pm Eastern Time. If you do not have any programs to rank for Phase II, then you should withdraw from Phase II.

Results of the Match will be distributed one week later, on Monday, March 23, 2015.

Applicants who do not secure a position in either phase of the APPIC Match may then use the APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service in order to locate vacant positions. This service will remain open throughout the Spring and Summer following the Match.

TIMELINE FOR PHASE II OF THE APPIC MATCH

Wed., Feb. 4, 2015

Deadline to register for either Phase of the Match

Fri., Feb. 20, 201511:00 am Eastern

List of programs with available positions is posted on NMS web site

Applicants may begin submitting applications via the AAPI Online

Thu., Feb. 26, 201511:00 am Eastern

Deadline for submission of applications (some programs may continue to accept applications after this deadline)